A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Song Young-gil, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, Monday over a cash-for-votes scandal surrounding the party's 2021 leadership election.

The Seoul Central District Court granted the warrant sought by prosecutors following a court hearing attended by Song on charges that included illegal political funding.

"I exercised my rights to silence during a prosecution questioning, but I will explain myself humbly and sincerely at the court," Song told reporters before entering the court building for the hearing.

Prosecutors launched the investigation in April into allegations that Song's campaign distributed cash envelopes totaling 66 million won ($50,613) to 20 sitting DP lawmakers and other party members in the run-up to the party's leadership election in May 2021, which he ultimately won.

Prosecutors suspect Song sourced the money through illegal political funds he received from a businessman and a former DP lawmaker.

Suspicions against Song also include him taking 763 million won in illegal political funds and bribes around that time via his support group, the Research Institute for Peace & Livelihood, from seven people, including a former chief of the Yeosu arm of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Including these, prosecutors suspect Song took a total of 820 million won in illegal political funds between 2020 and 2021.

Song has squarely denied the allegations, accusing prosecutors of "a politically orchestrated investigation" targeting him.

Song's arrest is expected to deal a blow to the political career of the former five-term lawmaker and expedite prosecutors' expansion of the investigation. (Yonhap)